


The Voice

by thechaoscryptid



Series: For the Dancing and the Dreaming [2]
Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Burnish Culture (Promare), Burnish Lucia, Developing Relationship, M/M, Music, Naga, Slice of Life, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25205863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thechaoscryptid/pseuds/thechaoscryptid
Summary: "When are you planning on going down to the temple?" Lio says, and Gueira levels him with a sour look. "Thyma says you seem lonely...""And seeing Meis is going to magically alleviate that?"
Relationships: Gueira/Meis (Promare), Lio Fotia & Gueira & Meis & Thyma
Series: For the Dancing and the Dreaming [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813180
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	The Voice

**Author's Note:**

> You can find the (as of yet very uncompleted) playlist for the verse [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0g8lETmIh8GOdnG3RYEvf1). The song Gueira wrote for Lio is a modified version of I See Fire (a songwriter I am not 😅)
> 
> Reading part one of the series strongly encouraged, but not strictly required. It just sort of introduces some stuff.

Gueira's mornings begin, as they always have, with a low groan and the insistence that he be allowed just a few more minutes. There's no one about to hear the complaining, but he feels better knowing the attitude's been expressed to the sun that sears through his eyelids. He bats at the offending rays to no avail.

The city's already begun to wake, the sounds of chatter, animals, and business creeping through the window to wrap him in the same melancholy that's plagued him since he arrived. He's no stranger to being an outsider, certainly--he's been a stranger in far more bizarre places than Inferra--but there's always been the option to hop on a wagon and leave should he feel the need.

He sits up, rubs at his eyes.

It's not that he's ungrateful to have been invited. He's  _ thrilled,  _ as a matter of fact. Taking down Burnish stories as he waits for their luthier, Cyran, to finish a lute for him has been a greater adventure than the time he set off to find the dragons rumored to inhabit the mountains to the south.

(There weren't any, much to his disappointment.)

Thyma's been gracious enough to lend her flute for the time being, so he's not  _ completely  _ out of sorts. It sits across his room on the small desk in the corner, calling to him already so early in the morning. There's a leatherbound book next to it already worn with use, filled slowly with stories of joy and heartache, rage against the crown and gratefulness toward Lio for being the one to show people there was another way of life.

His Burnish is  _ rapidly  _ improving, no thanks to the man.  _ Well,  _ he supposes with a wry smile.  _ All thanks to him, really.  _ Lio's insistence his people help Gueira learn is both frustrating and endearing in equal measure because he  _ is _ learning _ ,  _ but cursing Kray in an attempt to bond with the old farrier from the capital doesn't feel quite the same these days.

A knock on the door earns the intruder a questioning grunt, then a growly  _ "What?"  _ when they don't answer.

"Ma says she wants to see you out in the field today!" Kira says. "We're puttin' in wheat."

"Are we, now?" Gueira runs both hands through his hair to shove it back from his face before getting up and making his way to the door. When he opens it, the girl's bright smile rivals the sun's glow. "Are you gonna tell me stories later, then?"

She purses her lips, eyes flicking to the side in thought as she puts a finger to her chin. "Did I tell you about the time Lucia told me she could turn me into a deer?"

"No, but Lucia told me about you eating a pile of grass because she told you it'd help," he teases, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Try again."

"Damn."

"Don't let your ma hear you say that," Gueira says, and Kira sticks her tongue out at him before darting out from under his hand. "Any breakfast left?"

"Not if you don't come soon~" she sings, already dancing away down the hall.

Gueira chuckles, then shuts the door behind him. The flute and book remain untouched as he tugs a brush through his hair, prepares for the day. They won't do him any good to take out--if he's learned one absolute truth during his three weeks here, it's that Thyma's willing to work him to the bone in exchange for his lodgings.

He can't say he minds it.

Breakfast ends up being the crust of bread he snags on his way out the door, paired with an apple Lucia lobs at him down the way from atop her horse. "Where are you off to?" he asks. "Fancy look for the fields."

"Heading down to the temple," she says, patting the bundles behind her. "Meis asked for some stuff last time he was here, and I've got some things I've been meaning to give him. Want to come along?"

He shakes his head. "Thyma's got me out planting."

"Later, then. I'm sure you're itching to get your hands on his tales." She cackles, close to spooking the horse as she leans back. "Get it? 'Cause tail?"

"Bet he hasn't heard  _ that  _ one before," Gueira says, biting back his own mirth. He shoves at her leg to send her on her way, calls a thank you after her before continuing in the opposite direction. The apple bursts rich on his tongue and he grins as he waves to Shinon on her way out to the pasture.

Thyma's waiting for him at the edge of the fresh-tilled field. "Good of you to show up," she says.

Before, he would've felt shamed by the words, but he knits his hands behind his head and grins at the slight curl on her lips he's learned to recognize. "Good of you to tell me about this yesterday before I stayed up half the night watching Lio teach the kids how to ask the Promare to play with them."

She snorts, then gets straight to business. Explaining his duties takes all of a minute and a half and before he knows it, he's following Kira around as she yammers on about previous seasons and how she's glad he's here to help this year.

"Last year it was  _ just me,"  _ she insists. "D'you know how hard it was?"

"To be eight and planting the  _ entire field  _ all by yourself?" Gueira claps his hands to his cheeks, widens his eyes. "Terrible, really. Just you?"

"Well...I guess there was other people. But," she's quick to clarify, "it  _ felt  _ like just me."

"Oh, I'm sure it did."

"Once I told Meis he should come help," she says, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "He said he does his part by keeping the animals out. I like it when he lets me watch him."

"Now I  _ know  _ you're crazy," he says.

She giggles. "You can hear the bones crunch sometimes when he eats ‘em."

"Gross." He lets her go on, though, and the time passes quickly. The others around them interject occasionally, spinning yarns about the city and those who inhabit it until he's unsure what's fact and what's fiction.

And really, he hopes he's catching everything correctly, because hearing that Shinon once took off a horse's head in one blow doesn't seem quite right.

"No, no," Rei says when he's finished laughing. He waves a hand in front of him as he straightens up once more. "She's strong, but not  _ that  _ strong. And they're more use to us alive, anyhow." Clapping a hand on Gueira's back, he starts toward the bucket of water at the edge of the field. "Before Lio found us, we'd been living in one of the small villages surrounding Promepolis. We had no idea she was able to call upon the Promare."

Gueira nods, drinking deep before motioning for him to continue.

"She took a  _ guard's  _ head clear off with the flames when he pushed her on the way home from the market," he says after a pregnant pause, and Gueira just blinks. "A horse," he continues, far more lighthearted than Gueira thinks he could ever be after sharing such a thing. "You have a lot to learn yet, bard."

"Hey, I have a name!"

"Gueira," he hears from across the field, and he looks over to see Lio waving him over. "Keeping busy?"

"Every day," Gueira says.

Thyma rests an elbow on Lio's shoulder and nods. "We keep him occupied," she says proudly. "Need him?"

"Mm. Come with me." Lio gives Thyma an apologetic wave as they start off. "I"ll have him back to you eventually," he calls over his shoulder.

"Take him for the night," she says. "We're mostly finished here anyway."

Gueira breathes a soft sigh of relief, rolling his shoulders to shed the ache already beginning to set in. Lio explains that if he'd like, Daran's asked for him to put on a show down at the Stone Sparrow tonight.

"There's no pressure, of course. He just enjoyed your conversation the other day and figured he'd extend the opportunity."

"Really?" Gueira scratches his head. "He seemed to take to me about as well as Meis." Worse, in his opinion--only gave him one word answers and half-truths when pushed for more. At least Meis hadn't beaten around the bush about how he felt.  _ Feels, more like,  _ he thinks as they walk straight past his place, Thyma's, and on toward Lio's house on the outskirts.

Lio, to his credit, doesn't give him any hell about the assumptions. "I thought the same when I first met him," he says. "Trust me, though. If he's asking for you, he wants you there."

"I'd love to," Gueira says before he can stop himself. He  _ misses  _ performing, misses the claps and smiles tossed his way without a care when he weaves his music. Even if it's in a strange place, on a day he doesn't particularly feel that joy that so often comes with the thought of making himself heard, that base desire is too strong to resist.

A smile tugs at his lips as he continues. "What time should I be there?"

"Show up whenever, go until you've tired," Lio says. He sprawls across a chair when they make it through the door, arms akimbo and one foot up on the table. "What?" he asks at Gueira's look. "Can't a man stretch in his own home?"

"Oh, more than free, and I'm free to give you shit about it," Gueira says. He stretches out himself, pulling out the other chair and bending forward until he feels a tugging in his back and shoulders. "Did Shinon ever catch up to you about Alia after last night?"

"Alia's old enough to make her own decisions about staying out late," Lio says, tipping his chin up defiantly. "If they're old enough to pledge their lives to the flames, they're old enough to teach the young ones to harness their own."

Gueira hums in acknowledgement before groaning as he sits up, vertebra by vertebra. "Gotta say, when I pictured the future, watching children begging old spirits to form them toys wasn't it."

Lio huffs a soft laugh before opening his palm and removing his glove. Pink and green dance merrily along the length of his fingers, writhe around his wrist in a mockery of cuffs as he brings the hand to his face. There's a fond light in his eyes that flickers along with the flames as he stares into them, and before Gueira knows it, they've formed a small dragon that takes flight. It weaves through the air with a soft trill before landing back on Lio's shoulder, nuzzling against his cheek.

"That's still insane," Gueira whispers, just as awestruck as the first time he saw it. He holds out his hand carefully, a wordless plea to the Promare.

"Go on," Lio tells it. "And be good."

It crawls down his arm and onto the very tips of his fingers to peer at Gueira's hand before deeming him worthy. Its flames hold very little heat as they lick over his skin, the little beast curling up in his palm like it belongs there. Hissing contentedly, it spits a spark into the air between them.

"He's quite taken with you," Lio says quietly.

"Helps I'm not trying to extinguish him, doesn't it?" Gueira replies, then coos, "Isn't that right?"

Lio clicks his tongue. "He's not  _ stupid." _

"Ah, he doesn't seem to mind."

"When are you planning on going down to the temple?" Lio says, and Gueira levels him with a sour look. "Thyma says you seem lonely..."

"And seeing Meis is going to magically alleviate that?" Gueira holds his hand up, the Promare stirring in the early evening light. "I've been--" He pauses. "It's unusual for me to be such a permanent figure," he explains. "Best not to form too many connections when you're always on the move, hm?"

"Are you unhappy?" Lio's posture softens as he calls the dragon back to him, sends it away only to take Gueira's hand in his. "You do understand you're free to go," he continues. "We're not monsters here in Inferra. It's important to me you realize that."

"Oh, no, I don't want to  _ leave,"  _ Gueira says, paired with a clipped laugh. "Gods, no. This place is... You've made it into something truly special, Lio. It's just an adjustment, is all. I don't want to step on people's toes, you know?" He pushes at Lio's calf with his foot. "That what had you brave enough to incur Thyma's wrath by taking me away?"

"No, I actually wanted to tell you I'll be gone for a time again. Hence, the--" Lio gestures between the two of them. "This. Because if you wanted to leave, you should do so before the winter begins to set in."

"Not like I have many places left to go," Gueira points out.

Lio knows it well enough--he's seen the way Kray goes after dissenters more than any one man should, after all, knows the way the province is crushed below his iron fist. Were he to begin wandering again it'd have to be off toward home, and he's not sure he's ready for that just yet. The song burning in him hasn't caught its second half.

His journey remains unfinished.

"Come see me tonight?" he asks, getting up and holding out his arm. Lio uses it to haul himself up and shows him to the door, promising he'll show up to the Sparrow at some point during the night. When Gueira presses him about any  _ extra  _ guests, all he does is shoo him off.

So, Gueira wanders. He stops at his room to pick up the flute and book before making his way through the streets, then out past the fields and over to the small outcropping of rock looking over the forests. There he sits, turning the instrument over in his hands and humming an old traveler's song.

One goes down, then another, and the wind rustling through his hair on the third warms his cheeks and chest before his ears tune into the rustling in the grass behind him. The breath freezes in his lungs, notes dying on his tongue as the noise draws nearer. When he manages to turn his head, he nearly falls back to the dirt in relief.

Inquisitive eyes stare up at him from the cradle of clawed hands, Meis's elbows planted in the grass as his tail drags slowly back and forth. There's the legs of a deer sticking up next to him and when Gueira looks, its neck is twisted at an unnatural angle, dead eyes looking blindly ahead.

"You scared the shit out of me," Gueira says.

"You should pay more attention to your surroundings," Meis says, lifting his nose in the air. "Trees are an unusual audience."

"Well,  _ you're _ here now, aren't you?" Gueira says. He wraps his arms around his legs and sets his cheek on his knees, looking over without reservation this time. "Usually people give me a clap, at least."

Meis narrows his eyes before sighing and giving a single, solitary clap. "Better?"

"Mm."

Inch by inch, Meis crawls closer until he's a mere two feet away. He cocks his head, flicks his tongue out before reaching out to snatch the book from Gueira's side. Gueira puts up a small protest, but it's easily laid to rest at the sight of Meis coiling around himself to read the stories never before put to paper.

When Meis makes no move to give the book back, even as the sky begins to pink with sunset, Gueira picks up a song again. The notes dance on the breeze, filtering through the grass and disturbed only by the rustling of pages and call of a hawk as it wheels in the air above them. Were their meetings to always be like this, Gueira thinks, it wouldn't be so bad.

It makes him feel a little less alone, if nothing else.

If he squints, Meis looks almost... _ sweet.  _ The tip of his tail twitches every so often, his brow creasing in thought as he struggles over Gueira's admittedly terrible handwriting.

"What's this?" he asks, pointing halfway down a page. "Mee..."

"Miami," Gueira mumbles. He shuts his eyes and sways in place, smile fond with memories of salt-filled breezes and white sand, ships on the horizon at all hours of the day and night. "Port city to the south."

"I've never heard of it," Meis says.

"Ever left the province?"

To Gueira's surprise, Meis ducks his head and hides behind the book, as though he's embarrassed. "No."

"Oh," Gueira says. "I, um..." He attempts to pluck the book from Meis's hands, but it only earns him a warning hiss and angry swipe of a tail at his wrist. "I need it back eventually," he says sourly.

"I'm not finished."

"Well, I've got other places to be if you're going to just sit here," Gueira says. "Daran's asked me to perform tonight and I should be going."

"I want to read more," Meis says, ears drooping where they're pinned back. The furrow in his brow's back, though more upset than concentrating as he holds the book to his chest. Then, to Gueira's surprise, he whispers, "Please?"

A snappy remark fizzles out halfway between Gueira's head and his mouth, and he sighs before nodding. "Lend it to you if you bring it back to me before the end of the night," he offers. "Okay?"

"A few days from now."

"Tonight." Gueira keeps his voice level, gaze firm until Meis begins to squirm under its weight. "You're welcome to come see me at the Stone Sparrow, you know. Maybe you'll get to know me a bit better."

Meis waves the book. "I won't finish before tonight."

Gueira takes a deep breath, then, Lio's suggestion of  _ soulmates  _ beating through his head as he attempts to reconcile  _ scales  _ with  _ potential life mate.  _ "Let me tell you the stories, then," he says. "I can stop by, or we can go somewhere, or..." He trails off as Meis slithers closer, right to his side. "Hey."

"I was going to eat tonight," Meis says, and Gueira struggles to connect the dots before frustration flickers across Meis's face and he tugs at the deer's leg. "I get _bored_ waiting to move again,” he says. "I can't just snack on rabbits all the time."

"Wait until tomorrow?"

Meis looks away and if Gueira wasn't sure he was pouting before, he's  _ certain  _ about it now. "I've got to clean it soon."

"Let me help," Gueira blurts. His face reddens under the sunset as his mind struggles to catch up with his mouth. "I mean, not  _ tonight  _ tonight, not right now, because...pub...but later? I could come later and do it with you. Or for you, or--hells." He shakes his head with a quiet grunt. "There's a compromise here, is what I'm saying, yeah?"

"And you'll tell me about Miami," Meis says.

"Yeah, if you want," Gueira says. "Or you could tell me about yourself."

"I don't want you watching me eat," Meis says after several seconds of contemplative silence. He dips his head again. "It's not so disgusting."

"It's not  _ disgusting,"  _ Gueira says. "I was just--it was surprising! It's not every day I walk into someone--" He puts his hands to his mouth and opens them wide, wider likely than Meis's jaw had sat that afternoon. "You know?"

"You all take such tiny mouthfuls," Meis grumbles. " _ That's  _ strange."

"Pretty sure we're never going to agree on it," Gueira says, rubbing his nape as he puts on a placating smile. "Come tonight," he continues. "I'm about due for a day to myself, and if you're willing, I'll go with you."

"You're sure?" Meis asks, the slightest hint of suspicion bleeding into his tone.

"Positive."

Meis nods twice, quickly. "Okay."

"You should go take her back and stash her," Gueira says, pointing to the doe. "Don't want her stolen from under you."

"Right," Meis says. He nods again, turns away, and then turns back. "Bring your own things," he says. "I don't have much in the way of extras."

"I can do that," Gueira says.

"And bring something for Kascha."

Gueira chuckles. "Like?"

"A present."

“Or what?"

Meis pokes at his chest with his tail, vaguely threatening before he simply turns and slithers away. He grabs the doe's back legs as he goes, dragging her through the grass until he disappears somewhere down the path below. Gueira sits until his heart's stopped racing, until his breath evens out and the thought of being in such close contact with Meis doesn't set alarm bells off again.

The world darkens quickly and by the time he's journeyed back into Inferra, stars begin to decorate the sky. Shinon and Alia wave to him in the square before asking where he's off to. "The Sparrow," he says. "Come listen?"

"I'm sure Rei could be convinced to come out for a drink," Shinon says. "We'll be along." She points him down the road. "Don't want to keep Daran waiting, hmm?"

"'Course not." Gueira shoots both women a grin before setting off again, taking one second to steel himself before he pushes through the heavy door. "Here!" he announces. "Now, who's ready for some entertainment?"

**

It's nights like tonight Meis wishes he had something better than shining rock to stare at himself in. If anyone asks, he's certainly not brushing his hair and smoothing down his scales for one bard who's managed to hold his interest for longer than most strangers. He hasn't offered entrance to his chambers all because he's  _ curious. _

That would be  _ stupid _ .

"A mystery," he sighs at Kascha, who's lounging on the pile of blankets and the large pillow Lucia dropped off earlier this morning.

She yawns at him.

"Useless," he mutters. He pokes at the stray scales smattered across his forehead with an annoyed huff. "It's so  _ dry,"  _ he continues. "Remind me to go gather some moss later, won't you? No, you won't." He smooths his tail over her head, ruffles her ears.  _ "Miami." _

The word tastes foreign in his mouth as he rolls it around, tipping his head one way, then the other. "Do you think it's big? I'd bet it is, one doesn't become so loud simply  _ because.  _ Well..." He considers Kira, then amends. "One doesn't become that loud without needing to."

Kascha is, as always, no help with his musings. He'd been shocked at the embarrassment that rocketed through him at the realization that no, he  _ didn't  _ know of the city, and quite frankly, he's unwilling to pick at that just yet. Instead, he calls good enough good enough and sweeps a shawl out from under Kascha's big head.

"You've gotten this all full of fur, you brute," he says. He brushes it off, and she smashes her face into it once again. "Kascha!"

She'd be grinning at him if she could, he's sure.

"Beast," he says. It's a losing battle, he knows, but he can at least put up  _ some  _ sort of fight. He tugs at a paw. "I'll be back later. There may be something in it for you. Don't eat the deer, please--I'll give you the scraps when we're done with it."

Purring softly, she nestles deeper into her makeshift nest and lets him go without any other fuss. Without the sun to warm the path, it's slow going. Rock and dirt chill him as he makes his way into the town, pulling the shawl tighter around his shoulders. Part of him wishes he would've left his hair down, but this is a rare night out, and sometimes...sometimes looking nice is important, too.

He's halfway to shivering by the time he makes it to the Stone Sparrow's door. Light and raucous laughter spill from the gap when someone inside opens it, and Cyran nearly bowls Meis over in the next second as he steps out. "Meis!" the luthier says. "What brings you out so late?"

"I was invited," Meis says.

Cyran claps him on the shoulder and leans in close, jerking a thumb toward the corner where Gueira's gathered quite the crowd. "Kid ain't so bad," he says. "You met him proper yet?"

"Proper enough."

"Wasn't so sure when Lio brought him up, but he's harmless, I think," Cyran says, drawing back. "Anyway, it's about time I'm headin' back home." He yawns, stretching grandly in the doorway before stepping off. "Come by sometime," he continues. "El and I'd love to have ya for a few hours before the snows come."

"Sometime before the snow," Meis says to his retreating back, lifting a hand. When he makes his way inside, he's met with several greetings. They're all joyous, but none quite so much as the brilliant smile that splits Gueira's face nearly in two. He gives Meis a wave as he continues to sing, some song about pretty girls and the call of the sea.

Lio and Thyma are sitting at a table in the corner, deep in conversation that cuts off as Meis approaches. "Don't stop on my account," he says. "Evening."

"Maybe we were talking about  _ you,"  _ Thyma says, grinning at him.

Meis moves to slump against her side, drinking in the warmth that radiates from her as though he'll never get enough. "Like I said, don't stop on my account," he says. "I love learning things about myself."

"We were talking about my upcoming trip," Lio says, and elbows Thyma's side. "Weren't we?"

"One final go before things seal off for the winter?" Meis says.

"Yeah."

"Where are you headed this time?"

"Down the eastern border," Thyma says.

"No capitol?"

Lio shakes his head, purses his lips. "Not so close after the last time," he says, "and not without a larger contingent. Kray's become increasingly hostile toward anyone he suspects as Burnish. I'm not willing to risk all of us because I couldn't get them out alone."

"Right," Meis says, soft and contemplative as Thyma scratches at the scales near his spine. "A little higher, please." When she acquiesces, he goes boneless, draping his arms across the table for better access. "I spoke to Gueira today," he mumbles into the wood. "He says he's going to help me clean the deer I caught."

"Going to skin it?" Thyma asks.

"I don't want to be picking fur from my teeth as we speak," Meis says, "so yes, probably."

Lio arches a brow. "You invited him to your place?"

"I wanted to read his book, but he wasn't going to let me keep it until I've digested," Meis says. "So he's coming to tell me in person, instead."

"I  _ see,"  _ Thyma says, and there's something  _ knowing  _ in her voice Meis isn't sure he likes. "What's he done to earn such esteem?"

"I just wanted the book," Meis says.

Across the room, Gueira's voice drops, low and steady as he explains that this next song is one he's made especially for the Burnish, the first of many. "Thyma," he calls, holding out her flute. "Help me?"

"Got it." She gently pushes Meis aside and skirts around Lio to take the instrument, putting it to her lips and playing a short scale.

"Lio helped with this as well," Gueira continues, gesturing over. "He told me about his first few weeks in Inferra, before it was anything more than Meis's tunnels and the bare mountainside." He nods toward their table, and Meis lifts his fingers in a small acknowledgement of everyone's eyes. "It's the story of his victory over the crown."

"Are you going to explain the night away, or actually perform?" Thyma teases, earning herself an eye roll and fond smile as Gueira straightens his spine to begin. The seconds between his inhale and his voice ringing clear as a bell across the stone-silent patrons hold the same anticipation of waiting for the thunder after lightning, nerves singing with the wait.

_ "Oh, misty eye of the mountain below~" _

Meis  _ shivers  _ at the quiet intensity in Gueira's voice, so rich with reverence it feels almost  _ wrong  _ to listen as Thyma joins in with her soft soprano.

_ "Keep careful watch o'er my brother's souls~" _

Lio's similarly affected, if the quiet gasp he lets out is any indication.

_ "And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke, keep watching o'er the Burnish proud~" _

The crowd remains spellbound as he breaks off to vocalize, eyes shut with a gentle smile on his face as he puts a hand on Thyma's shoulder. His voice weaves seamlessly with her flute as she brings it to her lips once again, spelling out Lio's prayer to the Promare on that fateful day.

It is  _ stunning. _

Meis curls his tail tight, drawn along on the razor's edge between pleasure and tension threatening to snap within him as Gueira's eyes meet his. He  _ recognizes  _ this voice on a bone-deep level, has somehow known it since long before Gueira ever came near the Proma.

When the final notes ring from the rafters, he can only sit in shock as everyone else bursts into applause.

"Another?" Gueira asks, and Meis snaps his jaw shut when Lio points out he's still staring.

Finding his voice is nigh impossible, but he manages to mutter, "I need to go" before he's on his way out the door, pressing himself up against the side of the building as he holds his hands over his ears. His song swells in his chest until it feels as though he's going to burst, so loud he doesn't notice Gueira next to him until there's a hand on his elbow and he's a half-second away from tossing the intruder into oblivion.

"Just me, just me," Gueira says quickly. "Sorry."

_ "You,"  _ Meis hisses.

"I--"

"Sing," Meis bites out. "Now."

"Sing what?" Gueira asks.

Instead of more insistence, Meis simply begins to hum the song that's haunted him forever, and Gueira joins in within seconds. Silver moonlight shimmers across Meis's scales as both voices fade out, and he shrinks back into the brick. "That," he whispers thickly.

"Oh," Gueira breathes at the same time. "Lio was right."

"What's Lio got to do with it?"

"He, uh--" Gueira swallows hard, shuffles on his feet. "Thought that maybe we were...are. Well, you know. Soulmates."

"Is that so?" Meis asks. There's a strange sense of calm washing over him, out of place with his shaking hands and quavering breath. He  _ doesn't need  _ a soulmate, hasn't even considered  _ wanting  _ one for decades now, and for one to show up at his door?

Lio's a dead man.

"I didn't know before I came, I swear," Gueira rambles. "He told me after I met you, even! I didn't want to say anything, just because, you know, I'm not going to force you, and we don't even need to meet up tonight if you don't want to, I just thought--maybe..." His shoulders droop, his hands dropping to his sides. "I wasn't really expecting you to recognize me right away, I guess."

Meis remains silent, arms crossed.

"I'm gonna go," Gueira says awkwardly.

"Stay."

"I  _ really  _ don't know if th--"

"Don't make me say please again," Meis says. He slumps back against the wall and turns his head to the side, carefully avoiding Gueira's questioning face. In all one word, he mumbles, "You can still help me."

"Yeah?"

"Nothing needs to change."

"Right," Gueira says slowly, cautiously.

"You disagree?"

"Not at all," Gueira's quick to say. "But I don't want you to be uncomfortable, you know?"

Meis's chest is heavy, head fuzzed with revelations and the peace he's heard so often comes with meeting your complement. "I'm not uncomfortable," he lies. "Are you?"

Gueira rubs at the back of his neck. "A little, yeah." He glances toward Meis's tail, flicking his eyes back center quickly, but not so quick Meis doesn't notice and feel his heart crack. "I mean, it's kind of a big deal."

"I see." Meis sets his jaw and begins to slither away, unheeding of Gueira's protests until the man grabs for his hand. "Let me go," he snips. "I've  _ been  _ fine without you, and I can continue on that way, as that's what you seem to want."

"Listen to me."

Meis hisses. Petulant, but it gets the hand off of him.

"I meant what I said about getting to know me," Gueira says. "Or me getting to know you. Let me come with you.  _ Please.  _ I want to know you. Give me that chance?"

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments always read and _very_ much appreciated, and I always do my best to get back to them ❤️
> 
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